Coconut Lover’s Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Bars

If you have a coconut lover or an oatmeal lover or a pumpkin spice lover in your house, these are the bars for you! Coconut Lover’s Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Bars – perfect with a scoop of ice cream!

When I started blogging almost 6 years ago, I didn’t know that it was a thing. Other than a very select few, I’d never heard of food bloggers before. When I realized the sheer number of bloggers out there it was almost mind boggling. The fact that I get to interact with many of them on a daily basis is awe-inspiring. Every year I’m so excited when more and more of my blogging friends accomplish goals they set when they themselves realized that blogging was a thing. And then when I get to help celebrate those goals? That’s just priceless.

Today is one of those days. Another blogging friend has published a cookbook this year and I’m so excited to share it with you. These fabulous Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Bars are adapted from one of the recipes, and they’re to die for, so I’m betting all the other ones are gonna be killer too.

I mean…do you get much better than this? It’s a cross between an oatmeal cookie and granola, filled with white chocolate and pumpkin spices, and it’s SO GOOD topped with ice cream.

(It’s like granola on crack, seriously. BUT BETTER.)

This amazing dessert recipes comes from Mary Yourkin, blogger at Barefeet In The Kitchen, whose cookbook, The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook just came out. I went through the book and dogeared about 20 dinner recipes I can’t wait to try ASAP. The dishes are quick and easy and made from scratch and are the perfect way to get you through your week without takeout.

It wouldn’t be dinner without dessert, of course, so Mary has a few delicious ones in her book. From pound cake to peanut butter mousse, every one will be satisfied by something. The Coconut Lover’s get THIS dessert.

And, y’all, get this: there is NO FLOUR in this recipe. That makes it healthy…right? 😉

Mary’s recipe had white chocolate and dark chocolate chips, without any spices. I was going to try hers when I remembered my pumpkin spice addiction and HAD to go all fall on this recipe.

This recipe is one bowl, one spoon, no mixer needed. You simply stir together butter, sugar, an egg, and spices with the oatmeal and coconut. No special ingredients, no special trips to any special stores. You press it into the pan and bake it and then try to let it cool before you devour it.

Mary advises that you wait until it’s COMPLETELY cool so you can cut squares out of it. It’s still crumbly, but holds together for a plate and fork. I couldn’t wait that long, obviously, so I served mine with a scoop of ice cream and man. I ate two helpings!

The great thing about this recipe is how adaptable it is. Use any kind of nut, any kind of chocolate, any kind of spice. I can’t wait to make this in so many different ways! Enjoy!

Instructions

In a large bowl, stir together the butter and sugar. Add the egg, vanilla, and spices and stir until smooth. Stir in the oats and coconut until well combined, then stir in white chocolate and pecans.

Scrape the mixture into prepared pan and press evenly. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until the coconut is golden and lightly toasted around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool completely before slicing. Store in an airtight container.

Note: these are crumbly bars even when they’re cool but if you cut them warm they’ll fall apart. I like them best that way with ice cream!

Feel free to substitute any nuts and and any kind of chocolate for the white chocolate chips. You can also omit the pumpkin pie spices for a non-fall dessert.